


Burned Out

by katikat



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Coda, Exhaustion, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 00:00:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14068449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katikat/pseuds/katikat
Summary: He’s been manhandled enough for one day. Missing scene from episode 204 (yes, another one, sue me!). Mac’s POV. (Unbeta'd)





	Burned Out

**Author's Note:**

> I got this bunny from a friend over on Tumblr. Unrelated to my other 204 story, Vitals.

He’s sitting there, on the curb, with his legs outstretched, hands resting limply in his lap and shoulders rounded with exhaustion, staring down the street, and his mind is as blank as his gaze.

They got them out of the armored vehicle, the firemen, and then they were poked, prodded and urged to go to the hospital for more poking and prodding but…  _No_. Just  _no_. That’s where Mac drew the line. He feels like he’ll shatter if strangers keep touching him. No more touching, no more questioning, just  _no more_. He’s been manhandled enough for one day.

And so he’s sitting there, where he dropped after he freed himself from the EMTs' unwanted attention and intrusive touches that made his skin crawl, so tired that he could actually weep. On top of a jetlag, he was kidnapped, drugged, beaten, shot at and blown up. And now he’s done.  _Drained_. There’s simply nothing left. He doesn’t think at all, he just stares down the street that’s filled with emergency vehicles and flashing lights piercing the gathering dusk.

Then Jack comes over, bruised and tired himself, and says, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder, “They’re packing up here so we can finally go home now, got the official permission and all.”

Mac  _hmms_ softly, not looking up at him, actually not moving at all. He just can’t muster the energy. A puppet with its strings cut, that's what it feels like to him.

After a short pause, Jack drops down into a crouch in front of him and reaches out, touching Mac’s chin and turning his head, forcing Mac to look at him. “Hey, you okay?” he asks softly with his brows furrowed in concern.

Mac wants to reassure Jack that he’s just fine, that everything’s fine, the way he always does because he hates seeing Jack worried and Jack worries a lot, all the time,  _too much_ , hiding his fears behind jokes and Star Wars references and his Bruce Willis obsession. He wants to but he’s just so exhausted, down to the bone.

And so he just breathes, “Yeah.”

Jack’s not convinced. But before he can say anything more, his phone rings and he gets up to pull it out of his pocket; it’s a miracle the thing even survived the crashed. “Hey, Matty,” he tells their boss and puts the call on loudspeaker.

“Hey, guys. So, Bozer’s on his way to pick you up, he should be there soon,” Matty tells them.

“Great, thanks. I was afraid we would have to walk,” Jack replies and Mac’s not sure if it’s meant to be a joke or a rebuke or… what. He decides not to think about it.

Matty obviously decides to play it straight. “I would rather you didn’t. I need you back here ASAP. You have another mission tomorrow.”

Her statement is greeted with silence. The weight on Mac’s shoulders turns heavier and he feels his whole body slumping even more. He hangs his head and closes his eyes. His mind’s still blank, his thoughts are running away from him, avoiding his grasp… but he knows, deep down, that he can’t do this. He can’t just go on on another mission to who-knows-where tomorrow and tackle who-knows-what. He  _can’t_. He needs rest. He needs it - or he might  _break_.

“Yeah, Matty, about that–” Jack says, his voice a little apprehensive, and turns off the loudspeaker, pressing the phone to his ear and walking some distance away.

Mac remains where he is, he can feel sleep sneaking up to him, fogging his mind even further. He knows he should listen in because he’s sure that they’re talking about him, Jack and Matty, but he really doesn’t give a damn right now. His whole body’s starting to ache, more and more, as the last dregs of energy continue to drain out of him.

Cage comes to sit down next to him, arms crossed and resting on her bent knees. “Hey,” she says softly, and when he finally looks at her, blinking slowly, she asks, “So, that was Murdoc, huh?”

Yes, that was was Murdoc in all his deranged glory. “Yeah,” Mac replies hoarsely.

And she just nods, not saying anything else, as if her question was a mere pretext that allowed her to come over and keep him company. It wouldn’t surprise Mac, Cage’s a very intuitive woman, reading people like an open book. She’s been running interference between him and the cops ever since the site was swarmed with uniforms.

“Alright, then, kids,” Jack states with forced cheer as he comes back, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. “Matty the Hun decides  _not_ to do her name justice today and gave us the next few days off. We’re not expected back at the HQ till Monday.”

They both look at him, startled. Not that Matilda Webber’s  _unsympathetic_ but a mission’s a mission, that’s how it’s always been with her. So this decision is rather…  _unexpected_.

“And there’s Bozer.” Cage points down the street and gets up, dusting herself off. “I better go and let the cops know he’s here with us,  _for_  us. The whole rocket launcher attack made them…  _twitchy_.”

After she leaves, Jack steps closer and reaches down to help Mac up. “Up and at them, buddy,” he says grasping Mac’s hand.

“What did you tell Matty?” Mac asks as he lets himself be pulled to his feet. He’s not sure if he even  _could_ get up under his own power, his knees feel like jelo. He has to pause for a moment as blood rushes out of his head, leaving him a little light-headed.

“I told her we’re not ready yet for another mission,” Jack says, casually resting his hand on the small of Mac’s back, discreetly propping him up.

“You mean  _I’m_  not ready,” Mac corrects him with a sigh. But he doesn’t dispute that because it’s true.

“No, hoss.  _We_ are not ready,” Jack insists. “We come as a package deal. Bad things tend to happen when one of us forgets that simple fact.”

Mac smiles a little and whispers, “Yeah.”

They can now see Cage talking to the cops and Bozer waving at them. The sun has set and street lamps came on some time ago, flooding the street with soft light. Mac didn’t even notice. God, he’s tired.

“Ready to go home?” Jack asks.

“You have no idea…” Mac replies and starts walking.


End file.
